By
Deneisha Pearson
By
dpearson@wbbjtv.com

So the Nelson Community Development Group in Jackson stepped in to help the city get a HUD grant for more than $300,000.

"They were having to drive to south Jackson to Malesus to fill their trucks which was taking anywhere from 15-20 minutes depending on traffic. Which also put the firefighters kind of in danger," Lee Thornton said, Nelson Community Development Group.

Saturday morning the station showed off their brand new rescue truck, which was stocked with cutters, spreaders and rams.

Chief Eric Turner says the firefighters got to practice with their new tools.

"When we come up to a scene and a persons been involved in an accident the doors won't open, they can get the doors open," Turner said. "If the dash is up against them we can remove that dash off the patient."

After a natural disaster hit West Tennessee in 2009, Medon's mayor says he wanted to take extra precaution.

So the grant was put toward a new water well and a generator.

The money left over from those two projects bought the station's new truck.

"This is a big deal to our city not only to the people that live in the city but also to the people who live here in the part of the county and travel through here," Michael Austin said, Mayor of Medon.

"Every second counts and when you can get that equipment there quicker and start that work quicker obviously you have a better chance of saving a life," Turner said.

Chief Turner also said the new truck will also be used to put out brush fires.